It's another English Bank Holiday - wet and cold. There should be a session tonight but there isn't because the landlord has let the pub for a birthday party. So I've edited and uploaded about 10 new tunes to my site (http://www.banjolin.co.uk/tunes) - a mixture of English and Irish, session tunes and ones which are good but we don't play.
It's funny how session go. This week's were radically different from most weeks. One because some weren't there and one because some others were. I like a bit of unpredictability in a session - new people, tunes we have not played for ages, maybe some new ones or just old favourites in a different order. Although if there is too much, it's also nice to revert to 'normal' and play comfort sets.
When a session gets well established, the players defer to the likes and dislikes of the others so certain types of tunes don't get played while others are favoured. It's the way it is and there's nothing wrong with it. It's respect. Most players can tolerate an odd tune ' out of the envelope' though and it's a poor show if they can't.
By contrast, some players are very touchy and take it personally if another doesn't join in. They then try hard to play things they probably shouldn't to try and include them. Ah! The balancing act that sessioneers have to do. Best to turn up, play what you know, join in with good grace whether you like the tune or not, start a set if it goes quiet and remember there is an audience!
The Sunday session at the Anchor looks as though it will be on Monday so there will be one, and next week's sessions look set to return to normal. Well as near normal as it ever gets.
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